


For Him

by levi_senpai



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Slytherin Albus Severus Potter, Slytherin Scorpius Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 17:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8022751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/levi_senpai/pseuds/levi_senpai
Summary: For the first time since they'd met, Albus felt nervous around his best friend. Because he knew these feelings weren't how friends felt. Friends didn't want to kiss each other, friends didn't want to intertwine their fingers while they walked. But Albus wanted those things with Scorpius, as well as so much more. He wanted to curl around him and wrap his arms around his waste as they slept. Wanted to blow playful kisses during class, or dance with him at the dumb parties the other houses threw on the weekends when the teachers went to sleep. Albus could easily admit all of these things to himself, admit that it was quite possible that he's in love with his best friend. But telling Scorpius, now that was a whole other beast to be slain.





	For Him

Every morning began the same. Albus would wake, quickly freshen up, and head down to breakfast with Scorpius in the Great Hall. They'd laugh and joke, talk about the homework they'd been assigned and whether they'd finished it or not - Scorpius almost always had. Then they'd part for classes, not seeing one another again until lunch. It had been like this for years. They'd part at breakfast, meet back up at lunch only to part again until dinner. Then at the end of the day they'd walk back to the Slytherin dorms together. The routine would occasionally change, but that was rare. Typically students in the same year would have all of the exact same classes. But Scorpius had a big ole nerd brain, so he took classes for sixth years while they themselves were in their fifth year at Hogwarts. But on the weekends, permission slips signed by their dads, they'd go to Hogsmeade together. Scorpius would stuff himself full of chocolate frog and apple rings from Honeydukes while Albus bought new quills from Scrivenhaft's Quill Shop for both of them, because Scorpius has a habit of losing his practically everywhere they went.

They spent so much time together, Albus should've really seen it coming when he heard a couple of fifth years whispering about them one day after class.

_"They definitely fancy each other." One girl giggled to her friend, Albus vaguely recognized her as Stephanie Cane. A Ravenclaw girl with long burgundy hair that she tied up in a messy ponytail and dark brown eyes that reminded Albus of mud. She wasn't an unattractive girl, at least not on the outside. But her personality could be rather nasty, and she really liked to spread rumors and gossip._

_"How can you tell, Steph?" Her friend, Melody something, said in a hushed tone. Her face was round, and her hair reminded Albus of his aunt Hermione's cat Crookshanks. It was easily three fourths of her body weight and a dirty red color. Melody was much sweeter than Stephanie. It shocked Albus when he noticed her participating in some of Stephanie's rude behaviors._

_"Just look at the-." Stephanie had begun to say, finally noticing that Albus was looking directly at her from where he stood on the other side of the hallway. Her face flushed bright red, brown eyes widening comically. She grabbed Melody's hand, turning on her heels and hauling the other girl away down the corridor. That finally got Scorpius' attention. He looked up from his potions book, raising one eyebrow and giving Albus a questioning look.  
_

_"It was nothing Scor, let's go skip rocks on the lake." Albus lied, doing everything he could to pretend everything was fine._

After that incident, Albus started noticing that it wasn't just Stephanie and Melody who enjoyed speculating. When he and Scorpius passed a group of third year girls, they all giggled and glanced from each other to the pair of Slytherins passing by. And in potions class, one of the few classes he and Scorpius shared, Albus caught Allison Coal - a Gryffindor sixth year - staring at them more than once with a wide grin on her face. But Scorpius never seemed to notice. Not even once.

One chill autumn afternoon while sitting against a tree by the lake, Albus came to another realization. As he watched Scorpius scrawling down note after note, it felt like his heart was in his throat. His hair was so blond it nearly looked white when the sunlight hit it and when he smiled, his face crinkled right around his mouth and eye. His eyelashes, surprisingly darker than his hair, fluttered softly against the tops of his cheeks each time he looked down at his book. And Albus could help it, he felt the urge to reach out and touch the pad of his thumb against them. He wanted to feel them flutter against his skin. Saying Scorpius was whiter than the snow in winter would've been an understatement, but the chilly October air was flushing his cheeks and the tips of his ears a slight pink. Every other minute, Scorpius would have to pull his scarf back up to his nose, but nothing seemed to keep it in place so he eventually seemed to give up. 

For the first time since they'd met, Albus felt nervous around his best friend. Because he knew these _feelings_ weren't how friends felt. Friends didn't want to kiss each other, friends didn't want to intertwine their fingers while they walked. But Albus wanted those things with Scorpius, as well as so much more. He wanted to curl around him and wrap his arms around his waste as they slept. Wanted to blow playful kisses during class, or dance with him at the dumb parties the other houses threw on the weekends when the teachers went to sleep. Albus could easily admit all of these things to himself, admit that it was quite possible that he's in love with his best friend. But telling Scorpius, now that was a whole other beast to be slain.

"Al, what spell would you use to defend against the Cruciatus curse?" Scorpius hummed, not looking up from his parchment.

"Huh? Oh you can't, the only way you can defend against it is either stopping the person before they cast it fully or .. um hiding behind a solid object? Right?" Albus mentally shook himself, snapping out of his lovesick daze, as he stammered out an answer that he could only hope would be the one Scorpius was looking for. But he couldn't look back at Scorpius. Even if the other hadn't noticed, a heat of embarrassment flushed across his freckled face.

"Correct. Are you looking in a book?" The smile in Scorpius' voice was so clear. Albus knew if he looked up, there would be a giant smirk on his friend's face.

"No I didn't bring my books today, I forgot them on my bed." Albus let out a laugh, still feeling like he'd been caught in a dirty act. Even if Scorpius was oblivious to what he had been thinking, Albus' heart was lodged tightly in his throat.

"Ten points to Albus Potter!!" Scorpius grinned and mimicked the sound of a cheering crowd. Albus smiled back, but couldn't keep his heart beat from speeding up at the sight. Scorpius' cheers and applauds normally boosted his ego to Lockhart proportions, but this time was different. For Merlin's sake he'd just realized he fancied his best friend! Albus couldn't even think of the first thing to do with his newly realized feelings.

Much later that night, Albus was still wide awake at one in the morning. When bedtime had come around, he'd retired to his own canopy bed and pulled the curtains shut tight after telling Scorpius goodnight. His heart was still in his throat as he laid awake staring up at the green canopy. He was head over heals in love with his best friend, his _only_ friend. If he told Scor, and he didn't feel the same way, then this could possibly be the end of their friendship. And that was one thing Albus couldn't live with. He needed Scorpius in his life. Like he needed air or food. After hours of arguing with himself, Albus realized he was being foolish. Even if Scorpius didn't love him the same way, he'd never end their friendship over something like this. So maybe telling Scorpius wouldn't end in the apocalypse.

Before falling into a dreamless sleep, Albus promised to himself that he'd tell Scorpius about his feelings. Eventually.

Weeks passed, and Albus still hadn't told Scorpius. He'd made millions of excuses for himself. _It's not the right_ timing. _What if I'm wrong and he does say we can't be friends anymore_? But he knew that he couldn't keep hiding the truth. Scorpius was practically a genius. He'd find out one way or the other, and Albus preferred the route where Scorpius heard these words from his own mouth.

So, on a Sunday morning in December, Albus began planning. He needed things to go perfectly. Because even though he was ready to tell Scorpius, Albus wasn't sure how he felt about others witnessing him getting rejected. 

Their weekend routines stayed the same. By the time Albus was out of bed - about a quarter past noon - Scorpius' bed was empty and made. Casting a few cleansing charms and changing into a dark grey long sleeve shirt and jeans, Albus made his was out of the Slytherin dorms and towards the library. He knew exactly where he'd find his best friend. In the furthest corner of the library, where students rarely ever sat because it was hard to find, Scorpius was sitting in a window with a book in hand. His hair practically glowed in the winter sunlight that poured into the window. He wore a grey jumper with a green S on it, a gift from Grandma Molly, and black jeans. Albus couldn't resist the perfect opportunity, so while Scorpius was lost in his book, Albus creeped up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. Scorpius let out a squeal and flailed a bit before realizing who had ambushed him.

Putting him down on the floor, Albus had to hold his side as he doubled over in laughter.

"Albus Potter you arse!" Scorpius whisper yelled, smacking him upside the head with a book. Although he was clearly trying so hard to be serious, to be angry, there was a gentleness in the hit.

"Sorry Scor, I had to. It was the perfect opportunity to sneak up on you. Which I rarely get." Albus said with a matter of fact tone. Scorpius just rolled his eyes and sat in a nearby chair.

"Really, I'm shocked you're in the library on a Sunday. Shouldn't you be playing Quidditch with your brother or something of the sort?" Scorpius asked, raising a well groomed eyebrow. "I'm sure he misses getting his arse kicked by his younger sibling.".

"Nah, Lily said she'd go and play with him today. She's ten times better than me." Albus grinned, lounging back in the chair across from Scorpius. "I actually need to talk to you. About something serious.".

The grin fell from Scorpius' face, worry quickly flashing in his grey blue eyes. He was such a gentle soul. "Is everything okay?".

"Yeah. No its nothing to worry about Scor. I just wanted to tell you something.". Albus suddenly felt a million times more nervous, his heart squeezed itself back into his throat yet still managed to pound like a war drum against his rib cage. He'd be surprised if Scorpius couldn't hear it too. "But we uh.. we have to go somewhere else.".

"Oh, well okay. As long as you promise it's nothing bad." he carefully put his book, something about magical creature care, back onto the shelf. Albus led Scorpius back to the dorms, grabbing both of their coats before going outside.

Leading him out towards a secluded part of the castle grounds, Albus gained the courage to take Scorpius' hand. He felt instant relief when Scorpius' hand didn't jerk away. After walking for at least fifteen minutes and having Scorpius ask where they were going about forty times, Albus stopped. He'd brought them to a small corner of the grounds where students rarely ventured. They were surrounded by holly bushes and pine trees, thankfully no one would be able to see them if this went badly.

"Albus Potter did you bring me out here to discuss something? You're being awfully silent, which is rare for you these days." Scorpius playfully nudged Albus' shoulder, a grin on his lips and a flush from the winter cold on his cheeks. Albus tried to smile back, tried to remain as calm as possible. But he couldn't. His heart was beating a million times per minute, he feared it may explode.

"Have you noticed that they whisper when we pass them?" Albus practically whispered, eyes focusing on the stone beneath his sneakers like it was the one he was questioning.

"Well they've always whispered when we pass them. It's always been that way, or have you forgotten? I must've hit you with that book pretty hard." Scorpius joked, the grin in his voice obvious.

"No I.. I know they've always whispered. But have you noticed what they're saying lately?" Albus swallowed his nerves, forcing himself to look up at Scorpius. At some point between the end of fourth year and the beginning of fifth, he'd shot up like a weed. They were still relatively the same height, give or take. But Albus had been so use to looking down to talk to Scorpius, that now looking up at him he appeared more intimidating than he really was.

"No." Scorpius paused as worry etched across his face, "Have you?". Albus suddenly noticed he hadn't let go of Scorpius' hand. He mentally scolded himself, but resisted pulling away. He didn't want to give Scorpius mixed signals.

"Yes, I've managed to listen in on a couple conversations as we pass them or when I'm in the hall with you. It's easy to eavesdrop when no one really notices you there." Albus pushed a small rock around with the toe of his sneaker.

"Albus, you know that's not true! Just because they don't notice you doesn't mean no one does. Your mum and dad do. Your siblings and cousins do. I do." Scorpius squeezed his hand when he said _I do_ , and it makes Albus' heart stop. It's now or never, he has to tell him.

"Scorpius, they say we fancy each other. At first I thought they were just trying to start things. To cause more issues for us. But they aren't wrong. At least not about me." Albus took a deep gulp of air before continuing, "I .. I do like you. You could even say I'm in love with you. Now I'm in no way trying to pressure you into saying you feel the same.. I know it's a little silly to hope you do. But you're my best friend." Albus felt his hands shaking, but he continued, "I had to tell you, you deserved to know.".

There was a silence that stretched on for what felt like forever, even though Albus logically knew it had only been a few seconds. He couldn't bring himself to make eye contact. Get rejected was something he was ready for. But having to look him in the eyes while he told him that it would never happen - that was asking too much. Albus could only handle so much heart ache. But this silence was a close contender for first place. Suddenly, Scorpius was laughing. A deep and joyous sound that spread from his chest to the rest of his body. 

"Albus Potter you are a dense boy, you know that right?" Scorpius barely managed to stifle his laughter. "I thought you already knew I liked you too! I never said anything because I figured it was an unspoken thing. With our dynamic and all, I thought you already knew.". Albus' head snapped up immediately, he was sure shock filled his eyes. He searched Scorpius' face for even the tiniest hint that this was a big joke. That he was yanking Albus' chain. There was nothing. Just a genuine smile that spread across his entire face and blue grey eyes filled with laughter.

"Wait.. what?" Albus was sure his eyes had gone wider than tea saucers, "I.. I'm an idiot.". Scorpius' laughter was very infectious as Albus rested his forehead against his best friend's chest as he laughed. His cheeks flushed, mildly embarrassed that he'd been so scared to tell Scorpius how he felt. A comfortable silence falls over them as they stand like this for several minutes.

"Albus, can I ask you something?" Scorpius is the one to speak first.

"Well, considering I just said I'm in love with you, it won't hurt anything if you do." Albus joked, looking back up at Scorpius with a wide grin.

"Can I- Can I kiss you, Albus?" Scorpius' words come out in a whisper, his warm breath puffing out in a cloud into the cold air. His cheeks and nose are flushed from the cold, but when he bites his bottom lip Albus knows he's nervous. A warm blush spreads across Albus' cheeks at the thought of kissing Scorpius. He nods, and before he can even over think anything, Scorpius has pulled his chin up and placed his lips on his.

The kiss is like no other he's ever felt in his young life. Albus had only ever kissed two people. A Hufflepuff girl named Mary Anne and a Gryffindor he couldn't even remember the name of. But this kiss is nothing like those. Scorpius smells like chocolate, and his lips are softer than Albus could've ever imagined. When he places a hand on Albus's hip and puts his free hand in Albus' hair, he swears he could die right there and be content. The kiss is soft, and timid. But that doesn't hide the unspoken feelings in it. Albus wraps his arms around Scorpius' neck as they break apart, both faces red. Whether it's from the cold or not, neither question it.

"Imagine, if we'd told each other sooner we could have done that a lot more." Scorpius jokes, resting his forehead against Albus'.

Albus grins, laughter bubbling from him. He can't even remember why he'd been so nervous before. But he can feel the warmth radiating from Scorpius as he lays his head on his chest. And he can hear the soft thumping of Scorpius' heart beat. He suddenly felt like he could take on the world.


End file.
